Description

New Diversions is a fun little climb with a unique crux.

P1: Begin at the obvious right-facing crack just left of a right-facing corner near where the trail hits the wall. Climb this wide crack up to near its terminus, then step up, clip a bolt, and climb up and right across the knob-studded face. The crux involves mantling onto a huge steering-wheel shaped knob. Belay just above, on a knob near the arete, at a pin with small cams/wires to back it up. 5.10a.

P2: Continue up the thin crack and knobs until it suddenly turns wide. Struggle up this to a belay at a nest of slings. 5.9.

Most parties do two raps from here (possible with a single 60m rope but be careful!), but it is possible to continue to the top on easier terrain before walking off.

Be sure to use long slings on the bolt at the top of the first section and on the piton above the knobby section to reduce rope drag. The large knob in the center of the face can be slung for protection (and is even larger than it looks from the ground!).

By David Aguasca!From: New YorkJun 11, 2009 rating: 5.10a6a18VI+18E1 5a

There's a two bolt anchor at the top of this now, at what is described as the top of the second pitch. I led it and lowered off with a 60m rope, with just a little bit of slack left (so tie a knot in the end before you try this) Two 4ft slings are good for slinging knobs on the traverse. The mantle was pretty wild, but not the hardest part of the route, I think.

This is one of my favorite routes ever. It's been a while, but I seem to remember straddling a watermelon, rotating sideways off of it to grab the next one, and then mantling it. It took me a while to get on top of it because it isn't that deep and the wall is quite steep at that point. Probably not the most elegant way to climb it but it sure was memorable.

Do it as one pitch! Easy offwidth to fist crack to fun knob climbing with an airy mantle (and an awesome slung knob as your pro) to a finger crack to an offwidth that eventually becomes low angle friction and knobs. 60+ meters of climbing. It is really, really fun.

The bolts are actually below the "5.9 fist" on the topo and skip out on a lot of good climbing. I thought there must be another anchor 10 meters further and kept going, but there was nothing (or I missed it). The only place to belay was at a big manzanita tree at the very top... about 70 meters or so, a nice and varied pitch.

Rappelled from there (no slings though anywhere in sight) with an 80 meter rope and two raps. (Not sure a 70 is enough for the first rappel to the bolts, it's long). There is supposed to be a walk-off too.